Valve-operating mechanism for water-gas plants



April 8, 1930. J. LOWE 1,753,274

VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WATER GAS PLANTS Filed April 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 jnvenfar J4 M56 1 0 WE T 7 0/8 IVE/5 April 8, 1930. J. LOWE 1,753,274

VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WATER GAS PLANTS I Filed April 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Ir n/efi-fo r R I L/AMEJ L OWE BY W 4 Patented Apr. 8, 1930 A UNITED STATES JAMES LOWE, OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND VALVE-OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WATER-GAS PLANTS Application filed April 8, 1927, Serial No. 181,980, and in New Zealand January 20, 1927.

This invention relates to valve operating mechanism and refers more particularly to mechanism for operating and controlling the dampers and valves in a plant for the manufacture of blue water gas, and producer gas such as I have described in my prior United States Patent No. 1,416,042, dated May 16, 1922.

In said patent I have described a plant for the manufacture of blue water gas and producer gas comprising twin generators or producers arranged so that blue water gas is, made in one generator while the fire in the other generator is being blown up or revivified with air, equal water gas making and producer gas making periods alternating in each generator so that a continuous production of blue water gas and producer gas is kept up. The valves and dampers are interconnected by'linkwork and simultaneously operated to efl'ect the change over from making blue water gas to producer gas and vice versa and the simultaneous operation of the valves and dampers may be effected automatically by hydraulic power.

The improved plant has been found to give excellent results and the objects of the present invention are to provide 1. An improvedmechanism for the auto- 50 matic operation of the plant by the use of hydraulic power, to effect the change over from the making of blue water gas to producer gas in each generator.

2. An improved mechanism for regulating 5 and controlling the speed of the moving parts of the plant during the period of time when the change over from the making of producer gas to blue water gas is taking place and vice versa, in order to cause a scavenging 40 action whereby the producer gas contained in the generator which was previously being blasted is swept into the producer gas flue instead of being carried forward into the water gas flue as would happen if the change over took place without this scavenging ac- '50 change over and both blast valves remain shut during the period of scavenging which as may hereinafter appear or are identical thereto, the invention may be said to comprise firstly a valve operating mechanism for the purpose of automatically putting the hydraulic cylindersfrom which the force to actuate the mechanism controlling the movements of the dampers and valves is derived alternately under pressure and exhaust.

This mechanism may be situated a considerable distance away from the water gas plant and in such a case it is connected by pipes to the hydraulic cylinder arrangement, which actuates the air blast valves and the water gas and producer gas dampers. It is similarly connected by pipes to the hydraulic cylinder arrangement which actuates the steam valve. 7

The invention also comprises secondly an improved mechanism for regulating and controllingthe speed of the hydraulic piston or ram actuating the producer gas and water gas dampersduring the period of time when the change over from the makingof producer gas to blue water gas is taking place in orderto cause the water gas dampers and the producer gas dampers to dwell or move very slowly when near the middle of their stroke with the result that, the blast valves in both generators being closed, and the steam valve on the generator that waspreviously blasting being open, a scavenging action takes place, whereby. the producer gas contained in the generator which was previously blasting is swept into the producer gas flue instead of being carried forward into the water gas flue,

as would happen if the change over took place quickly.

I The invention also comprises thirdly an improvement in the mechanism or linkwork between the hydraulic cylinder arrangement and the air blast valves, whereby as soon as the'hydraulic piston or ram begins to move from either end'of its stroke, the blast'valve which is open is rapidly closed and thereafter both blast valves remain closed while the piston or ram moves very slowly towards the middle of its stroke, then towards the end of the stroke the other blast valve is rapidly opened.

It also comprises fourthly an improved combination of Working parts consisting of one automatic mechanism, "and waters of hydraulic reciprocating rams or pistons, one of which makes the change over of the steam supply without delay, and the other makes the change over of the producer and water gas dampers and blast valves, but is subject to a delayed action in the middle of its stroke whereby after the blast valve which was open has been closed, and prior to the other blast valve, being'openeld, the producer gas and water gas dampers are caused to dwell in mid position. i

'The invention is illustrated. in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure l is a front elevation of the im proyed'mechanism for the automatic operation of are plant described in my. said patent by the use of hydraulic power,

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the mecha- V shown in front elevation by Figure 1,

"Figures, 3 and 4 show diagrammatically the general arrangement of the automatic mechanismshown in Figures 1 and 2 together with the hydraulic cylinders and linkwork shown. in said patent and the connecting pipesjbet'ween' the. automatic mechanism and the hydraulic cylinders.

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the valve employed in connection with the invention, and i Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line 66 of Figures,

The. automatic mechanism by which the first object is achieved is shown in itspreferred construction by Figures 1- andv 2 and comprises a lever arm P. to which is at tached a weight V and adapted to be movedby suitable mechanism and thereafter to move independently. of said mechanism under the influence of gravity and thereby quickly, effect the/operation of the valve or valves Q.

I More specifically considered the lever arm P. is pivotally mounted at R, and when the armhas been moved slightly beyond the neutral or, vertical position it falls under the influencefofgravity andin fallingit a lostlmotion wiperY connected bymeans of-a link rod S orthe like. to thecontrolling valyeor valves Q, and: throws the wiperY over quickly thereby operating, the valve or valves Q- n n invention, the improved valve operating mechanismj comprises aspindle orv shaft T whieh'is rotated in any suitable manner. as b'yach s Q' elt ndri er rp a'd vins constructional. embodiment of the source, said shaft operating a supplementary shaft U through the intermediacy of a reducing gear.

A disc V is secured to the supplementary shaft so as to rotate therewith and said disc V is connected by means of a link Z with a sector or quadrant X pivotally mounted on a shaft, the sector X being oscillated or moved backwards and forwards as the disc V is rotated.

Looselyv mounted on the same shaft as the sector, is the lever arm P having the weight V at or near the end thereof, said lever arm actuating the controlling valves Q by means of a lost motion connection such as the wiper Y or a pin and slot arrangement between the link and the rod. i

Means are provided on the sector X or on the sector shaft for moving the lever arm to the vertical or just beyond the vertical position.

In operation the disc V on the supplementary shaft U during its rotation. oscillates or moves the sector X slowly backwards and forwards. During the backward and forward movement, means on the sector X engage the lever arm P and moves to just beyond the vertical position, when the weight on the arm becomes operative and throws the arm over quickly to the extreme backward or forward position thereby automatically and practically instantaneously operating the controlling. valve orvalves Means may be provided at the extreme positions of the lever arm to act as buffers for,

said arm.

The improved mechanism. operates effi ciently and the reducing gear between the driving and supplementary shafts can be arranged so as to drive the disc V on the, supplementary shaft U at the desired: speed and thereby operate the lever arm 1? and consequently the controlling valve or valves at th periods desired.

In the general arrangement shown diagrammaticallyon Figures 3 and t, III is the automatic mechanism'which may be placed a considerable distance away from the plant and connected thereto by a hydraulic pipe orpipes IV. i

H, H and H H are two hydraulic cyiinder arrangements, both ofwhich are connected by hydraulic piping. to the valve or valves Q controlled by the automatic mechanism III. One cylinder in each pair is preferablya constant pressure cylinder suppiied with water by the pipes V and the other cylinder is subjected to alternate pressure and exhaust bythe action of the valve Q. When the valveQoperates, the piston of the H, H, cylinder arrangement takes a stroke practically. instantaneously, thereby reversing the steam supplyv through the valves (1 to the generators, but the piston I of the H H, cylde v l-memen is S b cte te ye action which is the second object of this invention) when the piston is about the middle of its stroke thereby causing the water gas dampers G and the producer gas dampers E to dwell in mid position.

The piston rod I carries a crosshead J which is connected to the damper rods of two diagonally opposite dampers, that is to say, crosshead J is connected to rod on damper G of one generator and damper E on the other generator.

Figure 4 shows the linkwork connections to the valves and dampers on one generator, and the arrangementof the valves and dampers on the other generator is exactly the same except that the valves and dampers are in the opposite position on the other generator.

Reference to Figure 4L will show that the (four) rods K attached to the four dampers G, G, E. E, are connected to the (two) swing ing levers M pivoted at O and that the (two) coupling rods N for the blast valves B are connected to the (two) swinging levers'M pivoted at 0 The swinging levers M, are actuated in an improved manner (which is the third object of the invention) by coupling rods N so that the open blast valve B is rapidly closed at the beginning of the change over, and both blast valves B remain shut in the middle H in the cylinder arrangement, should an arrangement of two cylinders be employed,

or to one end of a double acting single cylinder should such be used.

This cock II is provided with a by-pass so that when it is in the off or closed position a small quantity of water passes through or round it. It is connected to the moving parts by linkwork or gearing VIso that it is fully open when the piston or ram I is at each end of its stroke, and entirely closed except for the by-pass throughout a considerable portion of the stroke of the piston or ram I about mid position. When the automatic mechanism which may be some considerable distance away operates, thecock II being fully open, the piston or ram I moves quickly for the first portion of its stroke. In so doing it closes the cock II and the water being throttled through the by-pass the ram moves very slowly through the middle portion of its stroke until the cock II being again opened-it'completes the final portion of its stroke rapidly;

By adjusting the area of the by-pass the length of time which the piston or ram I takes to complete its stroke is under control the blast being open on the generator which was 'pre- 7 'viously blasting, the contents of thatg'generator are swept into the producer gas flue Dins teadof being carried forward into the water gas flue F as would happen if the change over took place quickly. Scavenging takes place into the producer gas flue D. in preference to the water gas flue F because the resistance in this flue is less than in the other, by reason of the outlet from the water gas flue "F being sealed in water. This seal is broken by the pressure of water gasinside the generator. i:

when the producer gas damper is 7 closed and the generator is being steamed.

The improved mechanism by which the thirdiobject is achieved is shown on Figures 3-and 4 and comprises coupling rods N with I lost motion so that the leversM actuating the blast valves B are engaged only during a portion of the strokeof the coupling rods N. The coupling rods N have a stroke equal or proportionate to the stroke of the piston or rain I and they engage 'pivotallymounted levers M actuating the blast valves B at positions near the pivots O 'so that the travel of the levers M atthe point of engagement is only a small portion of thestroke' or the coupling rods N.

When the piston or ram-I begins to move from either end of its stroke, the blast'valve B which is open is rapidly closedby'one coupling rod N and thereafter that coupling rod continues'its stroke'without'moving the blast valve lever M The other coupling rod N is moving in the opposite direction but does not engage its blast valve lever My untilthe stroke is nearly completed. Through the middle portion of their strokes the piston or ram I and the coupling rods N move very slowly, and both blast valves B remain shut until towards the end of the change over, the

other blast valve B is rapidly opened as the stroke of the piston or ram I and coupling rods N is completed." 7 a k This arrangement of linkworkby which the blast valves B are shut for nearly the whole time that the change over vis taking place while the reversal of the steam valves C is made practically instantaneously in the beginning of every change over period, enables the plant to be thoroughly scavenged at each change over.

The change, overs occur, at predetermined equal intervals of time through the agency of the automatic mechanism.

The length of time taken to change over is adjustable by altering the amount of by-pass round the cock'II already referred to.

Itv will be understood that various modifications may be effected in the construction of any. of the improved mechanism without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

I claim 1. A mechanism for periodically controlling the automatic operation of a gas generatingplant including, in combination, a control valve, apivotally mounted lever connected thereto, reduction gearing including pawl and ratchet mechanism for actuating saidleven for a portion of its movement, and a? weight carried by said lever for. actuating the same for the remaining portion of its movement to eifecta rapid opening and closing of'said'valve at periodic intervals.

2. A mechanism in accordance with claim 1, wherein, said lever is operated during its first movement by a sector, a disc connected thereto and driven by said gearing, anda constantly rotating shaft operating said gear- 3. In amechanism for the control of a gas generating plant, the combination with a hydraulic cylinder including a reciprocating ram, andwater gas and producer gas dampers controlled by said ram; of a cock associated with said ram and having a by-pass, and connections between said ram'and cock operable when the ram. is-at either end of its stroke to opensaidcock and to close the same Withtheexception of saidby-pass after the ram has left either end of its stroke, whereby the water is throttled and the speed of the ram reduced during a considerable part of the intermediate portion of its stroke.

4, In amechanism for the control of a gas generating plant, the combination with air valves, water gas and producer gas dampers, andgearing-for controlling the operation of said dampers; of coupling rods having lost motion actuated by said gearingto operate said air valves only when said rods have near- 1yv completed their strokes.

5. In a mechanism for the controlofa gas generating plant, an operating valve, two hydraulic arrangements controlled thereby, steam valves actuated by one of said arrangements', a by passlicock:provided for theother arrangement, water gas and producer gas dampers under'the control of said by-pass cock,- air, valves, and coupling rods with lost motion for actuating, said air valveswhen sa-idrods havenearly completed their strokes.

JAMES LOWE. 

